The present invention is in the field of connectors of the type used in vehicle wiring systems, and more particularly in the field of the locking structures used to secure mated male and female connector housings and their terminals.
Male and female connections in vehicle wiring systems need to be robust and resistant to disconnection. Connector housings are therefore often provided with locking structure engaged as the connectors are joined to keep the housings and their mated terminals locked together. A common form of lock structure uses a flexible lock arm on one of the connector housings and a mating receptacle or latch on the other of the connector housings. The lock structure is often manually releasable so that mated connectors can be intentionally separated for terminal maintenance, repair, or replacement.
Improperly mated terminals inside the connector housings may not be readily apparent, but can create significant problems for the installer and end user if undiagnosed at the time of installation. The preferred and most direct approach to ensuring properly mated connector terminals uses xe2x80x9cterminal position assurancexe2x80x9d (TPA) structure on mating connector housings to give the installer an external indication of fully inserted terminals at the time the terminals are installed in their respective housings, thereby ensuring fully mated terminals once the connectors are joined. TPA structure is often designed to hinder or block unintended withdrawal of the terminals as well.
It has also become popular to use xe2x80x9cconnection position assurancexe2x80x9d (CPA) devices on mating connectors to indicate proper connection of the connector housings and, indirectly, of their previously inserted and TPA-assured interior terminals. Such CPA devices sometimes additionally protect the housing lock structure against accidental release.
Both TPA and CPA devices can be applied to a connector set. However, the multiple pieces and interlocking structures can be complicated to manufacture and coordinate on the relatively small confines of the typical automotive connector set. The use of both CPA and TPA structure on a single connector set also increases the number of molds which must be manufactured and maintained, increases the need for inventory management of the parts involved, and requires more assembly. Accordingly, the desirable CPA feature is often considered optional by customers and may be omitted for convenience and cost.
The present invention is a combined CPA/TPA (hereafter xe2x80x9cCTPAxe2x80x9d) structure in which one of the mating terminal-containing connector housings is provided with a unified, movably-mounted CTPA member. The CTPA member cooperates with the connectors and their terminals at various stages of terminal installation, connector mating, and terminal mating to ensure both TPA and CPA protection.
The CTPA member initially rests on its connector housing in a TPA preset position that allows a terminal to be installed therein. A properly inserted terminal allows the CTPA member to be subsequently moved to a TPA set position in which the installer is given visual, tactile, external confirmation that the terminal is fully seated and in which the terminal is protected from accidental withdrawal. An improperly installed terminal prevents the CTPA member from being moved to the TPA set position, giving the installer a visual, tactile, external warning that the terminal inside is not properly installed.
The TPA set position is simultaneously a CPA preset position in which a mating connector is ready to be received to mate its terminal(s) with the TPA-assured terminal(s) of the first connector.
Until the CTPA member on the first connector is in the CPA preset position, the installer has a visible indication in relation to the connector body that connector mating would be premature. The CTPA member may also be configured to block the mating connector until the CTPA member has been moved to the TPA set/CPA preset position on the first connector.
As the mating connector is joined with the first connector while the CTPA member is in the CPA preset position, a portion of the mating connector releases the CTPA member from the CPA preset position, allowing the CTPA member to be moved to a final, CPA set position. In the CPA set position the mating connector is locked to the first connector and the CTPA member is locked in the CPA set position. In a particular embodiment the first connector includes a manual release for the mating connector, and the CTPA member in the CPA set position protects the manual release against unintentional operation.
In a further embodiment the first connector has a cantilever connector latch, and the CTPA member has a cantilever locking arm which rides on the cantilever connector latch between the TPA preset, TPA set/CPA preset, and CPA set positions. The cantilever connector latch and CTPA locking arm flex as a unit, except in transition between the various preset and set conditions. During these transitions, the CTPA locking arm is released to allow the CTPA member to shift on the first connector to a different position. The cantilever connector latch is adapted to receive and lock a portion of the mating connector, which portion simultaneously releases the CTPA locking arm from its TPA set/CPA preset position on the cantilever connector latch. The cantilever connector latch also includes the earlier mentioned manual release, which is protected by the CTPA member in the final, CPA set position to prevent unintentional release of the first connector.
The invention is applicable to both single and multiple terminal connections, and to different types of terminal connectors such as used in vehicle electrical, optical, optoelectronic, RF, and other known types of connection. The invention is adaptable to virtually any style of plug-together connection in which a first connector housing receives a terminal prior to receiving a mating connector, regardless of the type of power or signal transmission effected by the terminals themselves.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon further reading of the specification, in light of the accompanying drawings.